BEAUMONT, Texas – No. 2 Lamar completed a remarkable postseason run Friday night, capturing its first Southland Baseball Tournament title since 2010 with a 2-1 victory over No. 5 McNeese in Game 2 of the 2026 Southland Baseball Championship Series at Vincent-Beck Stadium. The championship marks Lamar’s fourth Southland Tournament title and secures the Cardinals’ 12th NCAA Regional appearance.
In a fitting finish to the championship series, two of the league’s top arms delivered a true heavyweight pitching duel. Southland Pitcher of the Year Chris Olivier and Relief Pitcher of the Year Eric Nachtsheim matched each other inning-for-inning, keeping both offenses under pressure in a tightly contested battle where every baserunner carried major significance.
Olivier turned in a championship-clinching masterpiece for Lamar. After already delivering a critical elimination-game victory over UTRGV to help keep the Cardinals alive in bracket play, the ace returned on the biggest stage and authored one of the defining performances of the tournament. Olivier worked eight innings, allowing just one run on four hits while striking out seven and repeatedly shutting down key McNeese threats. Julius Carpio handled the ninth inning, stranding two runners to record the save and secure the title.
Nachtsheim answered with another elite postseason performance of his own. After his dominant relief heroics in the Hammond Bracket Final earlier in the week, the McNeese standout delivered eight strong innings, allowing just two runs, only one earned, while continuing to give the Cowboys every chance to extend the series.
Lamar struck first in the second inning when A.J. Taylor lined an RBI single up the middle to score Hector Rodriguez for the game’s opening run. McNeese answered in the fifth after Isaiah Keller doubled to left-center before Marcus Heusohn tied the game with an RBI infield single.
The decisive moment came in the sixth inning. Rodriguez reached and advanced to third following an outfield error before Jake Wagoner delivered the go-ahead RBI single through the left side, scoring what proved to be the championship-winning run.
Rodriguez finished with two hits and scored both Lamar runs, while Taylor and Wagoner each drove in a run. The Cardinals collected nine hits overall, including multi-hit efforts from Rodriguez, Wagoner and Taylor. McNeese mounted one final threat in the ninth with two runners aboard, but Carpio closed the door to preserve the victory.
The championship capped one of the most impressive tournament runs in recent Southland history. After dropping its opening game of Beaumont Bracket play to Stephen F. Austin last Thursday, Lamar rattled off six consecutive wins to claim the tournament crown. The Cardinals survived four straight wins through the losers bracket last week before adding two more victories over McNeese in the championship series, completing the remarkable run on their home field at Vincent-Beck Stadium.
All-Tournament Team
Connor Cuff, Southeastern Louisiana
?Marcus Heusohn, McNeese
Isaiah Keller, McNeese
Eric Nachtsheim, McNeese
A.J. Taylor, Lamar
Hector Rodriguez, Lamar
Beau Durbin, Lamar
Balin Valentine, Lamar
Cooper Carlgren, Lamar
Travis Lutz, Lamar
Jake Wagoner, Lamar
Chris Olivier, Lamar (Most Valuable Player)
Olivier earned Tournament MVP honors after anchoring Lamar’s championship run with his elimination-game victory over UTRGV and his dominant title-clinching effort Friday night, helping lead the Cardinals to their first Southland Tournament title in 16 years.